Spinning missile launcher



April 1963 M. M. COSLOWSKY 3,084,598

SPINNING MISSILE LAUNCHER Filed March 50, 1960 IN V EN TOR. MAE/0N M COSZOMSJZU 3,8i,598 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 3,084,598 SPINNING MISSILE LAUNCHER Marion M. Coslowsky, 505 E. Mountain View, Bar-stow, Calif. Filed Mar. 3-0, 1960, Ser. No. 18,731 9 Claims. (Cl. 89-1.7)

This invention relates to a missile launcher and more particularly to a missile launcher which imparts a stabilizing spin to the missile prior to launching.

Guided missiles and modern ballistic missiles carry guidance control and stabilizing equipment which add to the weight and to the cost and which reduce both the range and the load that can be carried. In the prior practice, bullets and projectile have been caused to spin, and thus stabilized in flight, by the riding in the gun barrel and, accordingly, the rotation imparted has been limited by the length of the gun. In the spin-stabilizing of missiles, special equipment has been provided within the missile in which a part of the gas developed by the combustion of the fuel is used to actuate spinning devices. Here again, weight and cost are added and, in addition, the diversion of a part of the fuel energy decreases the missile range.

According to the present invention the missile launcher imparts spin to the missile prior to launching which occurs when the missile, or the spinning part thereof, has reached the proper speed. The launcher is aimed and directed in the usual manner.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved missile launcher.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a missile launcher on which the missile is caused to spin so that it continues to spin after it is launched for purposes of stabilization in flight.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a missile launcher which causes the missile to be stabilized in flight in the absence of the usual stabilizing equipment within the missile.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a missile launcher the action of which permits the elimination of stabilizing equipment within the missile with resulting reduction in weight and increase of its range and the weight of its payload.

It is a still further object of the invention to pro-vide a missile launcher which causes the missile to spin to stabilize its flight, which aims it in azimuth toward the target, and which sets its launching inclination to provide the proper trajectory toward the target.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a missile launcher embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the missile spinning mechanism of the launcher shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary showing illustrating the engagement of the rear end of the missile to the spinning means which provides the rotational force; and

FIGURE 4 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows upon the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring again to the drawing, in FIGURE 1 the missile 1 is shown on the launcher 2 in position for firing, the rea-ward end of its cylindrical surface 3 in engagement with a spinning apparatus 4. The launcher comprises a base 5 and a catapult 7 including a track or guide member 8 pivotally mounted in a horizontal plane adjacent its rear end 9 to the rear end 10 of the base and on which is slidably mounted the missile sled 20. Base 5 is rotatable in a horizontal plane in known manner on an unshown support in order to aim the missile in the desired direction and guide member 8 is pivotable in a vertical plane to provide the proper launching inclination for the intended trajectory for a given missile and a given target.

The means to pivot the guide member 8 comprises a frame 16 and hydraulically operated pistons 11. The frame 16 is pivotally secured at its upper end to the memher 8 and at its lower end to support rollers 15 which in turn are pivotally connected to pistons 11 slidable within hydraulic ram cylinders 14 from which they receive power to move rollers 15 along base 5. As the pistons move into the cylinders the frame and the forward end of the catapult are lowered, and as they are moved outwardly from the cylinders the frame and the catapult are raised.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the spinner or spin-producing apparatus 4 is mount-ed in a housing 21 carried by a base 22 on elongated sled 20. The latter is suitably mounted for longitudinal displacement along the track or guide member 8 by conventional unshown actuating means within the catapult body. Spinner 23 comprises an openended cylinder mounted for rotation on spaced annular bearings 26 and abutting at its rear end 27 a thrust hearing 28. At its forward end 29, cylinder 23 is provided with saw teeth 30 adapted for engagement with complementary teeth 31 at the rear end 3 of missile 1, to be described presently. A sprocket 34 integral with spinner 23 encircles its cylindrical body forwardly of housing 21 in position to receive a rotating force. Mounted below housing 21 is a variable speed motor 35 having a drive shaft 36 on which is mounted a drive sprocket 37 engaging an endless chain 40 which also engages sprocket 34 to rotate spinner 23 when the motor is operating.

Positioned forwardly of and in general alignment with spinner 23 are two or more missile supports comprising upright rigid brackets fixed to sled 20. The arcuate upper edges of these brackets have one or more arcuate rows of spherical sockets rotatably seating precision balls 42. Only the outer portions of these balls are exposed beyond the edges of their respective seating sockets and these engage and support the exterior of cylindrical surface of the missile both during the spinning thereof as well as during its launching. If desired, the opposite ends of the bearing provided by balls 42 have pivoted thereto as by pins 43 a pair of hell cranks 44 the longer upper arms of which are shaped to embrace the upper peripheral surface of the missile when in their closed positions illustrated in FIGURE 4. The upper end of each arm is provided with sets of aligned rollers 45 which cooperate with hearing balls 42 in forming guide bearings for supporting the missile while being spun.

The short arms at the lower ends of hell cranks 44 are connected by suitable links 46 with operating mechanism suitable for holding the bell cranks in closed position with rollers 45 bearing against missile 1 before launching. A moment before the missile starts to move axially out of engagement with teeth 36, links 46 are operable to open the bell cranks outwardly to avoid any possibility of interferring with the launching operation. The bell cranks normally would remain open until after the next missile has been lowered into cradles 41 by a suitable sling or the like. Once the missile is in place, bell cranks 44 are closed.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the missile is on the launcher with its nose 49 directed toward the target and has its main cylindrical body portion 51 rotatably supported on balls 42 in cradles 41 with the saw teeth 31 at its rear end engaged with the spinner teeth 30. EX- tending rearwardly and through the open-ended spinner 23 is an exhaust nozzle 50 through which high pressure combustion gases are discharged from the missile to provide driving thrust. The extension of nozzle t) through open-ended spinner 23 permits the engagement of the missile and spinner driving teeth.

In operation, it is first necessary to adjust angularly the launcher base 5 so that the missile is aimed'properly in azimuth. Then the catapult is raised to the proper angle so that the missile will be launched into the predetermined trajectory. The driving motor for the missile spinner 23 is then operated to spin the missile at a requisite speed for highly stabilized flight. After the missile has been brought to the desired speed, the missile fuel is ignited and the catapult is actuated to displace sled 2t and the missile along the length of the catapult with maximum thrust and acceleration. As the sled approaches the end of its launching travel, it contacts a trigger or actuator button 52 controlling the opening of hell cranks 44. By this time the high speed of the sled taken with the propulsion generated by the rocket motor within the missile is sufficient to sustain the flight of the missile along its target trajectory. The rapidly spinning missile separates automatically and effortlessly from the still spinning drive cylinder 23 of the missile spinning unit 21 owing to the sawtooth shape of the coupling 31 between the rear end of the missile and spinner 23. The missile will continue in flight directly to its target by the propulsion force supplied by its self-contained motor and will not depart from the trajectory determined by the launching conditions owing to the stabilizing imparted to the missile by the high speed spinning of the missile as an incident to its launching.

It is pointed out and emphasized that the herein described apparatus and method of assuring the stabilized fiight of a missile or the like space vehicle is equally advantageous with single or multiple stage launched ob jects. Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention herein disclosed and claimed is to be deemed as applicable to the launching of various types and sizes of rocket propelled vehicles.

While the particular missile launcher herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A missile launcher comprising a guide member pivotable in elevation at its rear end, support means movable lengthwise of said member including cradle means underlying and adapted to receive a self-propelling missile with its axis parallel to said member, bearing surfaces in said cradle means on which said missile is rotatable, spinning means on said support means adjacent the rear end thereof and in axial alignment with said cradle means, said spinning means including a bearing mounted cylinder having substantially the same diameter as the adjacent end portion of said missile for rotatable engagement therewith, means on said support means to rotate said spinning means, and means to pivot said member at its said rear end and to incline said missile to a desired position for launching.

2. The invention according to claim 1 characterized in that said cradle means includes anti-friction bearing means in direct contact with and restricted primarily to the underportion of said missile and operable to rotate about axes parallel to the missile axis as said missile is spun about its own longitudinal axis and operable to rotate about an axis extending transversely to the missile axis while the missile is being launched from said cradle.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said cylinder spinning means has teeth in its forward end surface complementary to teeth in the rear end portion of a said missile to rotate said missile when said spinning means is rotated.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said means to rotate said missile comprise a motor means supported on said support means, a drive shaft extending from said motor means and having a sprocket mounted thereon, a sprocket mounted externally on said spinning means cylinder in alignment with said sprocket on said drive shaft, and an endless chain engaging said sprockets to transmit a driving force to rotate said cylinder.

5. A missile launcher for use in open air to launch and stabilize a self-propelling finless missile for free flight under its own power comprising a catapult, said catapult being rotatable in azimuth and pivotable in elevation, a

. sled mounted for movement lengthwise of said catapult,

upwardly facing cradle means carried by said sled and adapted to receive a finless missile'with its axis parallel to said sled, anti-friction bearing means interposed between the missile and said cradle means on which said missile is rotatable, annular spinning means supported on said sled having axially facing teeth on the end face thereof engageable with the complementall'y-shaped lower axial end of a missile supported for rotation in said cradle and cooperating to spin said missile about its axis in prep aration for launching, said spinning means being in axial alignment with said cradle, and means to pivot said catapult at its rear end to incline said missile in proper position for launching.

6. Missile launcher apparatus for use in open air to launch and stabilize a self-propelling finless missile for free flight under its own power, said apparatus having a ground-supported base and an elongated catapult having means confined substantially to the underside thereof for pivoting the same selectively to any desired missile launching angle with respect to the horizontal, power-propelled sled means free of connections to the missile movable lengthwise of the upper side of said catapult from a normally retracted position at the lower end of said catapult, and power driven means on said sled means having teeth facing and engageable with'similar teeth on the rearwardly facing rim end of a missile for rapidly spinning a selfpropelling finless missile thereon while the missile is being launched from the propelled sled means for free flight under its own power, said sled means including cradle means along the upper side thereof for receiving and releasably embracing a missile cradled therein and accurate ly. aligned with the trajectory axis while being launched from said apparatus.

7. Missile launcher apparatus as defined in claim 6 characterized in that said cradle means includes antifriction bearing means held captive in said cradle means and in supporting contact with the exterior of the missile to facilitate the spinning of the missile and its movement out of said cradle means during launching.

8. Missile launcher apparatus as defined in claim 6 characterized in that said cradle means includes means for positively holding a missile against lateral displacement therefrom during initial phases of missile launching whereby the missile is confined for rotational spinning about its own axis While spinning of the missile is being accelerated, and means for automatically retracting said holding means before the missile is launched from said sled means.

9. A missile launcher for use in open air to launch and stabilize a self-propelling finless missile for free flight under its own power, said launcher comprising a guide member pivotable in elevation from one end thereof, sled means forming a permanent component of said launcher slidable lengthwise of said member and including cradle means adapted to underlie, receive and support a self propelling finless smooth-surface missile free of irregularities and projections extending laterally from the body thereof, antifriction bearing components mounted within and forming part of said cradle means on which said References fiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Unge Feb. 5, 1895 Bourguard Ian. 17, 1956 Northrop et a1 Feb. 14, 1956 Bach et al May 21, 1957 Kindelberger May 20, 1958 Brown Sept. 20, 1960 Seidner Dec. 6, 1960 Strickland et a1. Jan. 24, 1961 Petre Nov. 14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 'France Apr. 29, 1946 

1. A MISSILE LAUNCHER COMPRISING A GUIDE MEMBER PIVOTABLE IN ELEVATION AT ITS REAR END, SUPPORT MEANS MOVABLE LENGTHWISE OF SAID MEMBER INCLUDING CRADLE MEANS UNDERLYING AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A SELF-PROPELLING MISSILE WITH ITS AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID MEMBER, BEARING SURFACES IN SAID CRADLE MEANS ON WHICH SAID MISSILE IS ROTATABLE, SPINNING MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS ADJACENT THE REAR END THEREOF AND IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CRADLE MEANS, SAID SPINNING MEANS INCLUDING A BEARING MOUNTED CYLINDER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AS THE ADJACENT END PORTION OF SAID MISSILE FOR ROTATABLE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SPINNING MEANS, AND MEANS TO PIVOT SAID MEMBER AT ITS SAID REAR END AND TO INCLINE SAID MISSILE TO A DESIRED POSITION FOR LAUNCHING. 